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Canadian fantasy game may prove a virtual gold mine

A little over three years ago, Nic Sulsky and Simon de Boer quit steady jobs to pursue a dream that centred on an online fantasy sports game.

They threw in their own money, persuaded friends and family to pitch in some of theirs and launched InGamer Fantasy Inc. — a social fantasy sports game played during live sporting events.

Nic Sulsky discuses his online fantasy sports game with Marc Dinsdale, director and GM for Rogers Digital Media. Sulsky developed the game with business partner Simon de Boer (Keith Beaty / Toronto Star)

More than a few people thought they’d lost their minds.

But today the two and their tiny Guelph-based company of six employees are sitting on what might be a virtual gold mine, as thousands of National Hockey League fans play their creation on the Sportsnet website.

It got another big push last weekend when Sportsnet incorporated the National Football League playoffs into its growing list of InGamer properties.

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With IMG on its side, it’s expecting to expand into the U.S. soon.

Sulsky and deBoer see the InGamer approach as part of the next big wave in sports broadcasting.

“We believe the future of live events is all about community and we know we’ve built the ideal platform to engage that community,” says Sulsky. “The modern audience is watching television in ways they never did before. There’s a lot of fragmentation and this is a great way to keep audiences engaged.”

Studies have shown that about 80 per cent of those watching live sports on television are doing so while connected to a computer, tablet or smart phone. Broadcasters want to find ways to keep viewers from drifting away to Facebook or Twitter during commercial breaks or during blowout games.

“We’re trying to connect with fans in as many places as possible,” says Marc Dinsdale, director and general manager of Rogers Digital Media’s sports properties. “We need to start functioning in the all-digital world.”

Since launching last season, InGamer has generated about $300,000 in sponsorship and licensing revenue — and its co-owners believe they have barely scratched the surface.

They’re already in talks with an American network.

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The game is aimed at casual fans rather than the traditional fantasy players, who devote hours every day to researching stats. Prizes are offered daily, weekly and monthly, unlike normal fantasy leagues, which require players to compete all season long.

The prizes range from magazine subscriptions to football tickets.

“We want people who’ve never engaged in this kind of thing as opposed to the hard-core fantasy player,” says Sulsky. “We want people to play more than once, but we don’t want to force them to play every game.”

To play, you simply go to the Sportsnet website during the game broadcast and log on free.

In hockey, for example, you choose one of that day’s games and select five players from either team. You score points on everything from goals to hits to blocked shots.

If you don’t like the team you picked, you can change it as the game progresses — all while monitoring real-time stats.

“Most fantasy games are designed around being the general manager,” Sulsky says. “Here, you’re the head coach.”

InGamer also comes with a live chat feature, which Sportsnet hopes will eventually include its personalities and possibly even athletes, a key component for the broadcaster.

“The long-term vision is to build a community around people who participate in sports in this new and exciting way,” says Dinsdale.

InGamer is part of a growing field. Since 2009, TSN has been offering an NFL fantasy game on its website. Visitors to its NFL Live game can win prizes for making in-game predictions and answering trivia questions. They can also engage in chat with other fans.

It also has an NHL prediction game with similar features.

InGamer made its debut last season on Hockey Night in Canada with modest success. But Sulsky and deBoer wanted exposure on other nights and in other sports, so last fall they struck a deal with Rogers.

Dinsdale says there are tentative plans to adapt the game for Major League Baseball, the Champions League, and a variety of other sports including cricket. Because no rights fees are required, the Sportsnet website can even use it on sports it isn’t showing — such as this weekend’s NFL games.

“This is just the beginning of this era of gaming driven by the companion viewing experience,” says Dinsdale. “It’s really in its infancy.”

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